The Rangers’ drastic dip in scoring in recent games would be a much more glaring concern if the team had not won half their matchups and comfortably held on to third place in the Metropolitan Division in spite of it. 

But the fact is, the Blueshirts have gone 3-2-1 despite averaging a mere 1.83 goals per game since returning from last month’s two-week recess. For context, in the six contests prior to the break the Rangers were averaging nearly four goals per game. 

Rediscovering their scoring touch sooner rather than later will be imperative for the Rangers, who have roughly 2 ¹/₂ weeks to do so before the division games really begin to ramp up. 

“We’ve got to try to produce more,” Ryan Strome said after the 5-2 loss to the Canucks on Sunday. “I think there’s a bunch of guys that are maybe gripping the stick a bit tight right now. We’re still in a lot of hockey games and we’re playing good hockey as a team, I think. But obviously to score goals is what we’ve got to do.” 

The Rangers weathered a few injuries in the first two months of the season, including the loss of winger Sammy Blais for the year due to an ACL tear. They survived star goalie Igor Shesterkin’s eight-game absence due to a suspected groin injury in December. Not even their COVID-19 outbreak in January did much to slow the Rangers down. 

Grinding through this stretch, in which goals have been hard to come by, is just the most recent obstacle that the Rangers have to overcome in order to achieve their ultimate goal of making the playoffs. 

To be fair, the Rangers have gotten somewhat “goalied” in the last two games. Shesterkin and the Rangers have been doing the same to opposing teams all season long, so it was only a matter of time until they got a taste of their own medicine. 

In Pittsburgh on Saturday, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry blanked the Rangers with 27 saves to ensure his team’s lone goal was enough. Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko then came to the Garden the following night and robbed several Rangers, particularly winger Chris Kreider on the doorstep, a number of times on the way to a 31-save performance. 

“Results-wise, it obviously hasn’t been there as much,” Adam Fox said. “We’re getting good looks. It seems like one of those stretches these last few games. I don’t know how many backdoor looks [Demko] made saves on there, especially in the first period.” 

“You don’t want to get demoralized with that, and maybe we got a little deflated being down 2-0 after a good first period.” 

The Rangers’ 2.2 goals per 60 at even strength is the second worst in the Metro, ahead of only the Flyers and behind teams that are on the outside looking in at the playoffs like the Islanders and Devils. In all but one of the past six games, the Rangers haven’t been able to score more than two five-on-five goals. 

The third period on Sunday saw the Rangers’ offense come back to life a bit, when Alexis Lafreniere and Strome scored just over four minutes apart to avoid a second straight shutout. The Rangers will look to carry that over Wednesday against former Blueshirt Pavel Buchnevich and the Blues. 

“As you can see, things can change quickly,” Strome said. “We’ve got to have a better response in that second period, for sure. Obviously, when the pucks not going in, it’s a little bit frustrating. But I think the response has got to be stay with it, versus allowing two more the other way.” 

The Rangers signed Wolf Pack captain Jonny Brodzinski to a two-year, two-way extension on Monday. Brodzinski is guaranteed $362,500 for both years with a $750,000 NHL salary in Year 1 and a $15,000 increase in Year 2, per PuckPedia.